MORNING REPORT

Def Leppard, Robert Palmer Staying Hot This Summer

July 15, 1988|DENNIS HUNT | Arts and entertainment reports from The Times, national and international news services and the nation's press

Though there hasn't been much hysteria over Def Leppard, this pop/metal band has quietly had a phenomenal year. Its "Hysteria" album, which has sold more than 5 million units, moved into the No. 1 spot of the Billboard magazine pop Top 10--after 49 weeks on the chart. Remarkably, 48 of those weeks have been in the Top 10. The band's No. 2 single, "Pour Some Sugar on Me," is fueling the album's latest surge. Robert Palmer's fast-rising new album, "Heavy Nova," (No. 41) has a good shot at making the Top 10. With a boost from the hit single, "Twist," the Fat Boys' "Coming Back Hard Again" bounced up to No. 42. Richard Marx' "Hold on to the Nights," the new No. 1 pop single, is the fourth Top 10 single from his "Richard Marx" album.

* Blue-eyed soul is red hot these days. Steve Winwood's "Roll With it" rocketed up to No. 6 on the pop album chart in just three weeks. It's perched just under the other sizzling white-soul album, George Michael's "Faith" (No. 5). Two out of the Top Six ain't bad.